Multivariable analysis of egg white protein-chitosan interaction: Influence of pH, temperature, biopolymers ratio, and ionic concentration

Yuemeng Wang; Xin Li; Na Gao; Xiaojun Wang; Shengqian Sun

doi:10.1016/j.fochx.2023.100817

Multivariable analysis of egg white protein-chitosan interaction: Influence of pH, temperature, biopolymers ratio, and ionic concentration

Food Chem X. 2023 Jul 31:19:100817. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2023.100817. eCollection 2023 Oct 30.

Authors

Yuemeng Wang^{1

2}, Xin Li³, Na Gao^{1

2}, Xiaojun Wang^{1

2}, Shengqian Sun^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ School of Food and Biological Engineering, Yantai Institute of Technology, Yantai, Shandong 264003, PR China.
² Yantai Key Laboratory of Special Medical Food, Industrial Research Institute of Special Food, Yantai 264003, PR China.
³ School of Life Sciences, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong 264005, PR China.

Abstract

The influence of pH, temperature, biopolymer ratio, total concentration, and ionic concentration on the interaction between egg white protein (EWP) and chitosan (CS) was investigated through turbidity, zeta potential, and state diagram in our research. In addition, phase behavior was observed under various conditions. The turbidity of EWP remained low (turbidity < 0.03) and basically unchanged at a wide range of pH (4.0-8.0), while the turbidity of CS was slightly higher (turbidity < 0.2) after pH 7.0 than before. Moreover, under the same conditions, a sharply rising peak pattern was observed for the complex between EWP and CS. The maximum turbidity value was observed at 55 °C, and the temperature had a mild effect on turbidity. The optimum EWP to CS ratio was found to be 12:1 based on the turbidity curves and state diagrams influenced by different biopolymer mixing ratios. With the enhanced concentrations of total biopolymer, the maximum turbidity rose insignificantly above 0.1%.

Keywords: Chitosan; Complex coacervates; Egg white protein; Phase diagram; Turbidity.